The Electronics Coordination was created in 1972 when the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics was founded. Its not until 1974 when the Electronics Postgraduate Program is started along with launching of the Microelectronics Lab. This lab consisted of an MOS circuit manufacturing line.

Currently, research activities are carried out in this Coordination, also, technological development and human resource training in the following fields: electronic devices, technology for device fabrication and integrated silicon circuits, integrated circuits design, CAD development, electronic systems and circuits verification VLSI, Electronic Instrumentation and Communications Systems.

To date, the Coordination has 35 researchers who are divided into 4 research groups, 21 technicians are assigned to different labs, they support the research projects and technological development that they are currently carrying out. Additionally, the Coordination welcomes visiting researchers with whom they carry out collaboration projects. In 2013, for example, there were four visiting researchers who were staying for short periods in the Coordination.

An important activity carried out within the Electronics Coordination is human resource training. Each year the Department welcomes an average of 55 Masters students and 30 Doctorate students in specialized fields offered in the Institute. Additionally, students from other universities may develop research projects here as part of their social service, professional residency or Bachelor’s thesis.

Research and technological development projects are also created on a daily basis, they are financed by different sources such as: CONACyT, European Community and companies from the private sector.

Currently, the Coordination’s most important project is launching the National Nanotechnology Lab (NNL) which will permit development in the fields of: nanostructured materials, devices and nanoelecectronic systems.

The Coordination is also on the board of directors of the Puebla Section of the IEEE and 60% of the researchers that are members are from the INAOE. Two chapters are very active: the Circuits and Systems Chapter (CAS) and the Electronic Devices Chapter (EDS).

Central Themes

ICT

Clearly, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) are an important element in order to carry out cutting edge research and development projects (R&D).

The most important challenges are (among others):

Basic research in ICT: algorithms development, system architectures and signal processing, etc.

Develop new devices which can be integrated into systems and I/O interfaces and different applications.

Integrated circuit development with high benefits in different applications in communications.

CAD tools development that will benefit from new computer architectures.

NANO

A new industrial revolution is here in the form of nanotechnologies. For a country like Mexico, it’s undeniable that this is an opportunity to catch up with other countries in matter of research and development (R&D) and an opportunity to train human resources within this field.

At the INAOE Electronics Coordination we are aware of the interdisciplinary aspects of this field which is why various research groups combine their efforts in the electronics field and work along with other departments and institutions.

The biggest challenges they face are:

Study of nanostructured materials.

Development of CMOS processes which will coexist with advancements in nanoelectronic devices.

Development of device’s models in the nanometer range along with CAD tool development.

Create the National Nanoelectronics Lab as a unifying project that will face these issues.

ENERGY

Aside from all its problems, Mexico has a great position for achieving R&D in New Energies, this advantage has not been explored correctly. R&D development in this central theme, is not only a matter of taking advantage of this position, it also involves a debt that we have to future generations to create energy through alternative methods, because of environmental issues. At the INAOE Electronics Coordination we want to contribute to advancements in this subject through D&R projects and in developing new and improved solar energy technologies.

The biggest challenges they face are:

Studying new materials for solar cells fabrication.

Characterization and improvement of efficiency levels.

Development of device models and systems models that make up the global generator schemes.

Development of fabrication processes

Searches for schemes in order to include this energy in social levels.